Flood Communication from the Global Perspective Workshop on Flood Communication and Information Exchange in the Dniester River Basin Lviv, Ukraine, 27-28 May 2013

Presentation outline What is Communication? Six Ws Questions: Who? When? Where? Why? How? Examples Challenges and Conclusions

Interactional Communication Model (Schramm, 1954) What is Communication? Interactional Communication Model (Schramm, 1954) Feedback Field of experience Channels and noises, some of which can act as filters (i.e. media) Non linear process, but a cycle process N.B. For ANY kind of communication, flood communication included

Six Ws Questions about Flood Communication Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

Six Ws Questions: Who? Main partners in Flood Communication: Flood managers Population Media Experts (i.e. social and behavioural experts) Underline « partners »: cooperative approach among actors involved Media: mention distinction between traditional (one-to-many)/new (many-to-many and two-ways communication) mass media

Six Ws Questions: What? Information to be included Location Time Advice on behaviour Explanations about warning level scales Data, especially real-time data Uncertainty Data: real-time data are essential during the occurrence of a flooding event Uncertainty: diverging opinions about the necessity to communicate it (and how) or not

Six Ws Questions: When? FC as an ongoing activity Before flood events: Prevention Education of the population Training of staff During flood events: Warning Real-time data Advice on what to do/not to do After flood events: Relief Relief measures and compensations Feedback Future strategies Education of the population: awareness raising Preparedness Training of staff Routine situation Crisis situation During flood events: Warning: Clear and timely statements about what to do/not to do and when (evacuation) to the population. Staff should already be prepared! Future strategies: « come full circle » = back to prevention

Six Ws Questions: Where? FC as a multiscale activity Regional level Cross-border exchange of information Common training Coordination National level Special attention to remote areas Local level Interaction with people directly affected Regional level: especially in transboundary river basin National level: every state develops its own FC Strategy according to its needs and laws. Local level, Interaction with people directly affected: value of local information for prevention + feedback on past strategies Local information are more accurate Communication and credibility can be enhanced if information comes from locals

Risk perception can differ from objective risk Six Ws Questions: Why? Effectiveness of Flood Management is closely related to Risk Perception “Intuitive risk judgments of individuals and social groups in the context of limited and uncertain information” (Slovic, 1987) Risk perception can differ from objective risk In other words, the way in which a stakeholder views a risk, based on a set of values or concerns. Risk perception depends on the stakeholder's needs, issues and knowledge and from psychological, social and other cultural factors.

Social Amplification of Risk Framework Six Ws Questions: Why? Social Amplification of Risk Framework Filters in the communication chain of risk events amplify or attenuate their perception, in turn causing all kinds of secondary social, political, and economic consequences on perception of a more consistent risk. Factors influencing amplification or attenuation of risk: Personal characteristics Situational factors Risk characteristics Hazards and events associated with relatively low statistical risks (such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease linked to bovine spongiform encephalopathy) can become the center of social and political controversy (risk amplification) while other, potentially more serious dangers receive comparatively little attention (risk attenuation) Filters: all links in the communication chain (individuals, groups, media, etc.) contain filters, such as the psychological, social and other cultural factors they bring with them. Personal characteristics: education, gender, age, being a parent, anxiety, etc. Situational factors: event not under control of the individual, past experience, lack of confidence in the authorities, great media attention, inadequate resources, nonvoluntary exposure, contradictory scientific opinions, etc. Risk characteristics: immediate threat, direct health consequences, low probability of danger, unknown new danger, fear arousing danger, lots of mortal cases, etc. Consequences: enduring mental perceptions, impacts on business sales, and change in residential property values, changes in training and education, or social disorder.

Six Ws Questions: How? Development of a Communication Strategy Communication Plan Objectives Target audience and its perceptions and needs Means and technology Dissemination Plan Timing and Frequency Horizontal Coordination Vertical Coordination Ex-post Evaluation Process evaluation Impact evaluation Communication Plan Objectives: specific, measurable, action-oriented, relevant and time-focused Target audience and its perceptions and needs: collaboration with social and behavioral experts and social surveys Means and technology: According to national/regional information culture and the flood-related experience of the general public traditional mass media (Newspaper, Radio, TV, telephone, Mobile phone, public broadcasts in the street), new mass media (website, social network, apps) Dissemination Plan Horizontal coordination: among all stakeholders (partners), especially with media Vertical coordination: regional (cross border exchange), national, local level. Ex-post Evaluation Process evaluation: evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of implementation activities, i.e. expenditure, staff resources, respect of schedule Impact evaluation: whether original objectives have been met. Feedback from partners, especially public!

Six Ws Questions: How? Features of an effective message Be intelligible Be positive Be clear on uncertainties Be inclusive Be intelligible: Do not use jargon and explain the meaning of specific words Do not use acronyms Be positive: Do not use threatening words (ex. catastrophe) Express impacts and probabilities in positive terms (i.e. number of survivors instead of number of casualties) Be clear on uncertainties: to sound more certain than the data makes you lose trust and credibility Be inclusive: If people are involved, they better understand problems, co-analyse possible solutions and help in drawing conclusions. translation into other (local) languages

Examples Negative Genova, Italy, 4 November 2011 6 victims, due to inadequate preparedness and wrong communication Genova: case of flash flood Serena Costa (19 yrs old), died while bringing her brother home from school. The school called parents, telling them to come and pick their children up. Her mother could not leave her workplace and asked her to do it. She was swept away by the water and mudslide

Positive www.vigicrues.gouv.fr, Vigicrues: Information sur la vigilance "crues ", French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy National and local information Interactive map Legend Maximum level of alert Advice on behaviour Link to "Carte de vigilance de Météo-France"

Serbian Dept. of the Interior’s brochure Public education Synthetic information Suitable for different kinds of public What to do/not to do Public education: prevention (before floods) Use of images: consider children and illitterates Available at: prezentacije.mup.gov.rs/svs/HTML/Vanredne%20situacije_Cirilica_FINAL.pdf

Flood Patrol, Smartphone App, Philippines’ Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Real-time data and warnings Crowdsourcing Interactive map Legend Philippines’ Government and Warning Agencies Inclusive and interactive

Discover Floods, Booklet APFM and Project WET’s KIDs Activity Addressed to children Use of images and colours Simple language Educational games and activities Available at: http://www.apfm.info/?page_id=1530

Challenges and Conclusions Statutory liability Inclusiveness and coordination Adaptation to the audience Statutory liability Ex. L’Aquila: a communication error became a manslaughter conviction. All seven members of the Commissione Grandi Rischi charged of giving wrong, uncomplete and contradictory information. Inclusiveness and coordination Vertical (among regional, national, local levels) Horizontal (among different experts, i.e. media) Adaptation to the audience: its needs and language

Thank you for your attention!